A metal cutting band saw with a machine frame on which the workpiece to be cut is placed is disclosed in DE 40 40 470 A1. The machine frame is provided with a vise for fixing the workpiece to be processed on the machine frame. The vise contains a stationary clamping jaw that also serves as a reference surface. A swivel support allows the saw frame in which the bandsaw blade is supported to move into different miter positions. The required swivel support is arranged underneath the plane of the workpiece and carries not only the saw frame but also a workpiece support table that serves to support the part of the workpiece that is subjected to the cutting process during sawing. The advantage of this arrangement is that the bandsaw blade does not produce a horizontal pivoting motion relative to the support table and consequently always cuts into the support table at the same location independent of the adjusted miter position.
However, this advantage can only be achieved if one is willing to accept several significant disadvantages. For example, the swivel support is located in a region in which dirt, chips and cutting compound accumulate. The swivel support itself is difficult to access for maintenance work. When the miter angle is adjusted, the table underneath the workpiece must also be pivoted. The forces exerted upon the support table by the workpiece are quite variable and depend on the relative shape of the workpiece. Thus, forces that vary significantly occur when the table must be pivoted. This is the reason the drive for adjusting the miter angle must be designed for the highest occurring force. These high forces make exact adjustment of the miter angle practically impossible. Due to the inherent elasticity of the entire arrangement, stresses of varying intensity occur as a function of the friction conditions between the support table and the workpiece. The actual miter position deviates from the desired miter position as a function of the stress.